Tag: family

So I headed over to Modesh World today as I’ve seen the little yellow Modesh man so many times but never really knew what it’s all about. With the scorching sun these days most mums are on the lookout for new places they can relieve their kids of the pent up energy. Modesh World is an indoor play park for kids in the halls near to the Dubai World Trade Centre.

I Thought I’d share my experience with you incase anybody is thinking of visiting the place in the summer. When you arrive near the world trade center halls you need to park at the multi story car park near the convention tower and than take the lift to level one which takes you to the halls access. You can enter from Hall number 6 which is just a 5 minute walk after you park. Please note that the parking is charged at 5 Aed per hour. At the entrance of hall number 6 you need to pay 20 AED per head to enter the halls. ONLY children under 3 go free rest everybody needs an entrance ticket including adults. Also you would need to get a Modhesh card which is for 3 AED and can be topped up with cash to use on the rides inside. ( A little pricy don’t you think ? )

Ok so once you’re inside you’ll see a huge open area filled with rides and activities. Most of the games are electronic. Right in front of you will be a stage where they have live performances happening every hour to entertain the kids

Stage Arena

If you walk further you shall be connected to hall number 6 where all the amusing rides are. Each ride costs around 10-20 Aed on average. ( Most of them are 20 AED ) You have bumper cars, flying cars, trampolines, soft play areas etc. The range is quite diverse so it does cater to all age groups. There isn’t any waiting so you can take the little one’s to any ride you wish. I had my four year old daughter with me and she could ride most of the one’s there. There was a dragon’s ship, electronic bikes, trains and much more. Right at the end of the halls is the FoodPark where you can sit and eat with your little one’s. If you have been to the food truck events at Dubai before you will recognize most of the food outlets. Theres also a large screen playing cartoons near to the food arena so the kids can watch a movie while you eat. If you have a budget of approx 150-200 to spare per child you can spend around 3 hours inside easily.

Overall it was fun and a different experience because of the huge area and variety of rides and a good getaway from the sun however a little pricy as well. So keep your budget in mind when you go. Below are a few pictures to give you more of an idea on the place from inside.

My day started with the fragrance of a soiled diaper on my face. My little boy made sure he just came at a perfect angle so as not to squish my nose and sat right on top of me putting his back towards my face. I woke up with a startle when he started to jump. Right than I was dreaming of driving a BMW z4 in Switzerland along the highway when I closed my car windows after the smell started seeping in. When I opened my eyes I see a diaper squashed across my face and him jumping on top of me as if I were a trampoline. LOL What a lovely start to my day ? As I woke up and started my usual chores of giving my little two breakfast and dressing them up my daughter started begging me to go and watch the movie “Cars” which released last week. I was tired exhausted but after 2 hours of begging, manipulation and brain eating – I finally agreed.

So I dragged myself to comb my hair with my fingers ( sorry using a brush is very rare when you have two naughty kids ) as perfectly as I could, put my toddler to sleep and dragged myself and my daughter over to Reel cinemas. When I bought the tickets I verified 20 times asking her “Do you want to eat something? “ and “No!” was the answer I got. So we grabbed our seats and I thought this was my time to take a nap or probably stare into my mobile and have some me time while she watches the movie. I smiled looking forward to having a nice quiet time. Not less than fifteen minutes passed and she started nudging at my shirt “Mama Mama … Im hungry”. I look at her in disbelief . “But I just asked you if you want something”. “I know mama but I am hungry NOW, I was not hungry THAN”. So I pull myself together take her outside and buy her some popcorn and a bottle of water. We rush back and grab our seats ensuring not to disturb anybody in the cinema. I sigh with relief as I pick up my mobile and think that my ‘me time’ has finally started. In fifteen minutes I feel her nudging at me again. “Mama Mama I need to go peepee” . ( You must be kidding me !!! ) “Can’t you wait ?? ““No I need to go NOW!!”. I fumble and get up once again and crawl through the seats to go out and take her to the washroom. Once in the washroom I’m staring at the watch waiting

“Are you done?”

“Not yet mama”. Five minutes have passed.

“Are you done?”

“No mama… But mama … mama…why is tissue paper white over here” as she points to the toilet roll”.

“aaa… Cause it’s supposed to be like that”

“But mama why ?”

“because white is everybody’s favourite color”

“but why is red not their favourite”

“i dont know beta go ask them”

“ok mama I want to go ask them we will watch movie later”

“No! We need to watch the movie , hurry up beta”

So I pick her up in my lap once she’s done sneak back into the cinema already tired by now and hoping she will now relax. I close my eyes take a deep breath and sigh with relief.

” aaa mama?” she whispers pulling at my shirt. In my mind I am pulling my own hair by now.

“But mama…but mama i dont like this movie ..its boring”

“but you have been begging me since a week you want to watch it. I rushed out without having breakfast just so you could watch it in time”

” i know but it’s boring now please can i go home”.

After fifteen minutes of argument I was hushed by the people sitting at the back and told to be silent. From the look on my daughter’s face I knew this request would soon transform into a tantrum so I grabbed her hand and walked out of the cinema ignoring the stares I was getting. Well that was my experience of the movie “Cars”. I wanted to give you a review but sorry I don’t remember anything from the movie other than the picture I clicked. ( above ) If anybody does get a chance to watch it like a normal human being do let me know how it was 🙂 hehehe Sorry that’s all for now.

There are several days that seem never ending; moments or phases that don’t seem to pass. A single person waiting to find his/her soulmate. A mother waiting to concieve a child. A man waiting for his promotion after years of perseverance and hard work. An ill person waiting to be free of his disease. A bed ridden man in his old age with no hope. There is always something or sometime in your life that seems like infinity while it lasts. Amongst us are those that ache with pain right now. Those whose hearts have been shattered. Those who are in grief after losing a loved one. Those that feel lonely and those that have been wronged. In those times no consolation helps and nothing can change their reality. The pain keeps coming back in episodes of pulses like a heart attack. The more you run away from it the more it chases you. I know because I have felt it. I know because I have seen it. I have seen grief closely and I have experienced loss and hopelessness.

I know you want to hear that this is not forever and you want to know there is a bright side to this rainy night. Well there is ! Sometimes knowing “nothing lasts forever -not even pain” doesn’t help. But hearing someone else say it somehow reinforces it. I want to tell you there is hope. I want to tell you that miracles do happen. I want to tell you that even if your situation doesnt change god will mend your heart such that you will find solace in what is. I want you to know that for every tear that falls from your eye god will compensate you in abundance. Even if it seems impossible it’s not. The road is long and weary but it shall end. The path is painful and you are tired but you can pull it off if you keep going. Just a little bit longer and just with a little bit more faith. You can ask a zillion times “why me?” but that’s not going to help and that does not matter. The reality of life is that you’re not the only one afflicted with pain. There are zillions like you out there who you are unable to see or reach who suffer just like you do or they suffer in ways you cannot see. Stop looking at others. Just look at yourself and remember that you are strong. You are strong because you are reading this and that is proof enough that you are fighting whatever it is that makes life tuff for you right now. Someone once told me “miracles happen to those who believe” and it did not mean much to me until I waited long enough to see mine. Step out of your life and see the larger picture. This world is temporary and so is this life. Just keep going, no matter how slow but keep going and with time you will see how things transform in your favor. This life is nothing but a journey and you are a traveler. Your pain will transform you and your journey will make you stronger. Shake hands with your sorrow and accept it as a friend. Don’t fight what god has sent your way and slowly in that acceptance you will find solace. When you find solace in that moment of surrendering , you will be free. As Jallaludin Rumi once said :

I said “What about my eyes”

God said “Keep them on the road ”

I said “What about my passion”

God said “Keep it burning”

I said “What about my heart?”

God said “Tell me what you hold inside it”

I said “Pain and Sorrow”

God said “Stay with it. The wound is the place where light enters you”

So beautiful are the words above for they depict how sometimes pain and sorrow is what enhances our wisdom, gives us wings to fly and makes us who we need to become. Your wounds open the passage for the light of wisdom to enter you. It opens the doors of compassion within your heart. It humbles you and brings you back to where you belong. Hence don’t detest it and don’t give up. Keep going no matter how slow. The journey seems long but it is to make better out of you. Do not stop. Just do not stop.

As Eid comes to an end and we spent some beautiful moments with family and friends I sat staring at my pictures and eid clothes and starting jotting down my thoughts. I’m no Mirza ghalib but sometimes there’s this poetic side to me that comes alive. You can say aamad howi bus aachanak. Feel free to say your “boooo’s’ -and throw tomatoes at me. Thought I’d share it